1930s Inspiration For #vintagepledge

Hello friends! For this month's Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge inspiration post I'm delving into the 1930s - one of my absolute favourite decades for style - exploring fashion trends in a nutshell and how they were reflected in sewing patterns. I hope you enjoy this little jaunt as much as I have!

Although the 1930s are epitomised by the elegant gowns worn by movie stars, and will forever be remembered as the era of Hollywood glamour, women were dressing more practically than ever before. Coming between the two world wars and directly after the 1929 stock market crash, times were hard. The Great Depression led to cheaper materials and ordinary women could no longer afford the excesses of previous decades.

Everyday Style

A newfound preference for practicality didn't mean a loss of femininity. Form became more important than embellishment while the emphasis was on the silhouette. Clothes were cut to follow the lines of the body in a more provocative way than ever before.

Necklines were lowered and often framed by wide scalloped edges and ruffled collars. The jabot blouse - with a cascade of frills down the front - became hugely fashionable, alongside the pussy-bow neckline.

Bodices were designed with interesting details like inset pieces and yokes, whilst arms grew in importance as designers experimented with square shoulders and voluminous puffed or flared sleeves.

Waistlines were brought back up to the natural waist, or higher, and were cinched in. Hemlines dropped dramatically and skirts were often detailed with yokes and pleats or gathers.

In light of simpler designs, accessories became especially important as women made statements with their belts, sashes, gloves, hats and costume jewellery. It's fabulous to see the importance of accessories even reflected through 1930s sewing pattern artwork.

Sportswear Influences

Until the 1930s, daywear had been more decorative than practical, but with women of all backgrounds beginning to live busier and more productive lives, clothes became easy to wear and un-restrictive. Day suits were revolutionised by Coco Chanel's use of wool jersey and wide-legged pyjama style trousers were introduced by the Tirocchi sisters. This sportier tailoring, as well as the emergence of activewear and more risque swimwear, reflected the more active lifestyle women were embracing and became a huge hit. As the decade progressed, simple clothes like trousers, sweaters, classic shirtwaist dresses and low-heeled shoes became wardrobe staples.

Originally invented in 1893, the slide fastener - or zip as we know it today - was finally adopted by the fashion industry in the 1930s and became an instant hit. Elsa Schiaparelli even made a feature of it in her designs, often leaving it exposed. This particular little nugget of information really drove home to me how un-original more recent fashions have been! Buttons also became part of surface decoration, with designers regarding fastenings as part of the aesthetic design.

Hollywood Glamour

Contrasting simpler daywear, evening attire took on a strong element of escapist glamour. Shoulders and backs were bared in the first halterneck and backless gowns and the bias-cut dress clung to every curve. The latter was a new way of cutting fabric, invented by Parisian Madeleine Vionnet, which flirtatiously hugged the female form.

Hollywood glamour also became attainable in an everyday sense, with the creation of the hugely popular Hollywood Pattern Company in 1932, which featured personalised designs from radio and movie stars. Starlettes knew they had arrived when their headshot featured on a Hollywood pattern cover, entering more homes than magazines and newspapers during the Great Depression.

Do you have a favourite decade for style? What's your take on the 1930s?

28 comments:

OOOH, what lovely patterns! I was just thinking about Spring for Cotton and that I'll probs make a practical 1930s number... it was a huge era for Shanghai... the 1930s... and there's lots of inspiration in buildings, jazz nights and a lovely new jazz club in our area has opened!

I didn't bring any vintage patterns with me to Shanghai.... so I'll have to sit out the vintage pledge for now!

Great post! I love the styles from the 1930's but am really the wrong shape for all those slinky cuts. Like the beach trousers and those cullottes would be very trendy today. Think that Lady Gaga gives more than a nod to Schiaparelli, especially her old stylist. Did you know hat she did the meat dress first? Xx

Beautiful designs, especially those beach wear images. Alas I don't think it is the kind of thing I could wear, too slinky and too much detail with big collars, bows and shoulders. I prefer the simplicity of the late 50's and early 60's.

Talk about eye candy! The collection of thirties patterns you've showcased here really make my jaw drop. And, you've touched on some of my favorite reasons to sew vintage. Nothing is new. For every contemporary pattern released, I'm convinced I can dig into my pattern collection and find a vintage version that is nearly, if not exactly, identical! Fashion simply re-invents the wheel, repeatedly. :-D

Great post. I spotted Hollywood patterns at the Women, fashion, power exhibition at the design museum. I'd love to own one. The exhibition is a potted history of women's dress so worth going if you are interested in costume.

What a lovely collection of patterns!!I've only recently become smitten with the fashion of the 30s. I never had any particular affection for that distinct 30s silhouete which I never did find flattering on a normal sized woman. I always wondered what the good was of fashion that can only be worn by streamlined actresses and those lucky women with super thin figures.But now I can see all the lovely details, the sleeves, the necklines, the inspired bodices and ingenious tricks used in quite a lot of these astounding designs.So I thoroughy enjoyed this post and will be looking forward the the 40s inspiration collection!